December 24, 2025
— C.S. Lewis · Source: The Screwtape Letters, Letter III (the demon Screwtape speaking)
Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
In prayer, we often unconsciously treat God as an assistant in realizing our plans, rather than a sovereign king. "Your kingdom come" is not merely a spiritual slogan, but a declaration of relinquishing sovereignty. Through the mouth of a demon, Lewis warns that intercession can quietly turn into a list of the things in others that irritate me. When I truly intercede for others, I realize that what truly needs adjustment is often not the environment, but my own heart. Intercessory prayer dismantles self-centered beliefs and invites me into God's greater love and patience.
Heavenly Father, I confess that I often seek Your cooperation in prayer, but rarely truly seek Your Kingdom and will. Today, I willingly relinquish my sovereignty to You, asking Your will to be done in my life and in the lives of those I intercede for. Teach me to learn obedience in intercession and to learn trust in waiting. Your Kingdom shall come, and Your will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.